Sundance Vacations Speedway- Awesome Asphalt Racing in The Pocono Foothills

Anthony Sesely and Ricky Ross, Jr. Split Sport Mod “Twin 25s” at Sundance

By Gene Ostrowski

October 4, 2009

The final single points races came to a close Sunday at Sundance Vacations Speedway, as drivers look forward to the season-ending, double points “King of the Mountain” event coming next weekend. With a pair of 25-lap Sport Modified main events up for grabs, Anthony Sesely and Ricky Ross, Jr. took top honors. Steve Shultz scored his second-straight Street Stock victory and Jon Smith cruised to the Four Cylinder FWD win. Karl Heisler notched his first career INEX Legends win and after an engine change earlier in the afternoon, Steve Cox dominated the field to win the Super Mini Cup main.

Joe Wielgosz started from the pole position and was overtaken by Dave Garfinkel before a single lap was scored in the first of two 25-lap Sport Modified features.

The yellow flag waved on lap one when Frank Scimeca and Brian Sones collected in turn two. Green flag racing resumed and Anthony Sesely shot by Wielgosz to take the third spot. He then hunted down Barry Callavini, who was running in the second position.

Sesely overtook Callavini and then got under Garfinkel in turn three for the race lead. The turn three pass assured Sesely the lead with Garfinkel, Jason Hearne, Zane Zeiner and Callavini fighting for position.

Hearne stalked Garfinkel for second and Zeiner sat within striking distance. Both moved by Garfinkel on lap 11. Callavini and Billy Cole overtook Garfinkel shortly to advance position.

Despite a quick caution on lap 17, Sesely held off Hearne, Zeiner, Callavini and Cole to win his first Sport Mod feature of the season.

Sesely picked a pill for the second race line up in victory lane and the top 14 cars were inverted for the lineup.

Jason Hearne, Anthony Sesely and Zane Zeiner were heat race winners.

Following the invert, Ricky Ross, Jr. started on the pole position for the second 25-lap Sport Mod main. With one lap complete, Ross held the race lead over Dave Garfinkel, Scott Brannick, Joe Wielgosz and Billy Cole.

The first of four yellows flew when Jason Hearne slammed the wall in turns one and two. Hearne was forced to retire from the event with the dreaded “double hook” back to the pit area.

Zane Zeiner started eleventh and quickly worked through traffic. He moved by Brannick for second on the second lap and then glued himself to the back bumper of Ross. Meanwhile, Sesely, who started back in thirteenth, ran third and Barry Callavini joined the top five.

A late race caution with five laps remaining set up another restart and gave Zeiner the opportunity to make a last-ditch move on Ross.

Zeiner tried several maneuvers, but Ross of Mountain Top, held him off to score his third victory of the season. Zeiner settled for second, followed by Sesely, Callavini and Garfinkel.

Robert Haueisen led the Street Stock field to the green flag in the 25-lap main event, but Steve Clark quickly took the race lead. Todd Barbush followed suit and grabbed second.

Brian Wozniak and Robert Fink battled side by side for the third spot and Haueisen dropped to fifth on the third lap.

The caution flew on lap three when fluid began to leak from Chip Wanamaker. Forced to the pit area for a look over, he did not return to the speedway, which possibly ended his championship hopes.

Green flag racing resumed and Steve Shultz quietly worked into the top five. He shot by Fink to take fourth and ran third after overtaking Wozniak.

Meanwhile, T. Barbush began to pressure Clark for the lead. T. Barbush tried the bottom groove in turn three and Clark tried to slam the door. The two made contact and spun, which brought out the lap 17 yellow.

With the lead in hand, Shultz held off several pass attempts by Joe Barbush to claim his second-straight and third overall win of the season. Wozniak and Fink crossed the strip fourth and fifth respectively.

Heat race wins went to Steve Clark and Steve Shultz.

Mike Kline started first and quickly lurched out to a sizable advantage in the opening laps of the 20-lap four-cylinder FWD event. Still looking for her first win of the year, Nikki Sager held second, followed by Brian Kunkel, Jon Smith and Robert Fink.

Smith and Fink raced with and eventually overtook Sager and Kunkel and then set the focus on Kline.

With eight laps complete, Smith shot by Kline, as did Fink for the second spot.

The first and only caution of the event flew with four laps remaining when the lapped car of Frank Hughes made contact with Fink in turn two.

Green flag racing resumed and Smith drove off to score his fourth win of the season over Eric Banashefski. Fink rebounded to finish third, followed by Ken Kleppinger and Sager.

Jon Smith and Frank Katona took heat race honors.

Justin Grimm started on the pole and held the early race lead in the 25-lap INEX Legends main event over Mike Carroll, Karl Heisler, Gregg Rittenhouse and Mark Tischler.

Kevin Nowak entered the top five and began to make a charge through the top five. Meanwhile, Tischler and Scott Hubler pressured Grimm for the lead.

Tischler attempted several passes on Grimm and tagged him while attempting a turn one pass on lap 19.

The change of events gave the lead to Hubler, but it was short-lived. Nowak lined up in second for the restart and the duo raced hard into turn three. Nowak got a bumper on the leader and Hubler spun. Hubler was forced to the rear of the field for the restart and Nowak was also sent to the rear for his part in the incident.

Heisler inherited the lead and stayed in front over the closing laps to score his first career win over Carroll, Nowak, Tischler and Brandon Michael.

Several Super Mini Cups took to the speedway for a 15-lap feature.

After losing a motor in practice and with the help of his mother, changing it out before the heat, Steve Cox went on to the heat race win.

However, his day wasn’t complete.

Cox went on to take the feature win over Matt Custer, Ken Stabley and Mark Lockcuff.

Sport Modifieds (Feature #1, 25-Laps) 1. ANTHONY SESELY 2. Jason Hearne 3. Zane Zeiner 4. Barry Callavini 5. Billy Cole 6. Paul Frantz 7. Joe Wielgosz 8. Keith Mullineaux 9. Scott Brannick 10. Dave Garfinkel 11. Paul Brinckman 12. Mike Mangini 13. Ricky Ross Jr 14. Frank Scimeca 15. Brian Sones 16. Tony Aquilino DNS: Beryle Herman, Mike Speeney

Sport Modifieds (Feature #2, 25-Laps) 1. RICKY ROSS, JR 2. Zane Zeiner 3. Anthony Sesely 4. Barry Callavini 5. Dave Garfinkel 6. Mike Speeney 7. Billy Cole 8. Joe Wielgosz 9. Paul Frantz 10. Keith Mullineaux 11. Scott Brannick 12. Frank Scimeca 13. Mike Mangini 14. Paul Brinckman 15. Beryle Herman 16. Brian Sones 17.Jason Hearne DNS: Tony Aquilino

Street Stocks (25-Laps) 1. STEVE SHULTZ 2. Joe Barbush 3. Brian Sones 4. Brian Wozniak 5. Robert Fink 6. Kevin Higgins 7. Harry Sager 8. Robert Haueisen 9. Todd Barbush 10. Brandon Oltra 11. Nick Ross 12. Daniel Pawlicki 13. Steve Clark 14. Brad Barbush 15. Chip Wanamaker

Four Cylinder FWDs (20-Laps) 1. JON SMITH 2. Eric Banashefski 3. Robert Fink 4. Ken Kleppinger 5. Nikki Sager 6. Pete Maier 7. Cory Dymond 8. Brian Kunkel 9. Jay Skupski 10. Mike Kline 11. Joe Katona 12. Frank Hughes 13. Frank Katona 14. Harry O'Neill 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

INEX Legends (20-Laps) 1. KARL HEISLER 2. Mike Carroll 3. Kevin Nowak 4. Mark Tischler 5. Brandon Michael 6. Van Michael 7. Justin Grimm 8. Greg Rittenhouse 9. Scott Hubler

Super Mini Cups (15-Laps) 1. STEVE COX 2. Matt Custer 3. Ken Stabley 4. Mark Lockcuff DNS: Heath Hendeshot